AN: I seriously can't believe how much this story is exploding. 84 followers! WOW. I gained more than thirty just after the last chapter. I love and cherish every follow, favorite, and review!

I wanted to address a few things that I didn't at the end of the last chapter:

I love Lily, and her character will be lovable. I feel like she got a rough introduction.

I also think Marlene is a character that has so much potential, and I hate when they make her Hermione's enemy No. 1 in Marauder's era fics.

Peter will be an important factor later on I just don't want him to be a main plot point as that feels like unnecessary conflict. But don't worry! Things will be resolved with the Peter!

Hermione is a Gryffindor through and through. Noble and bleeding heart, so she doesn't give up on people! Interpret that how you will!

I also love the Golden Trio dynamic, so Harry's and Ron's voices in her head are my way of including them in this story.

This chapter is going to have some light points. Yay! And sorry I can't update frequently. I just went through midterms at school. YIKES

Disclaimer: Don't own it.

Chapter Nine: Familiar Faces

Hermione woke up the same way she'd been since that night she'd woken up thinking James was Harry. Squished on a bed with three large boys. It was dark outside still, and when she checked the time she saw that it was only five in the morning. She was directly in the middle with James on one side and Remus on the other.

She really had to use the loo.

Hermione considered her options, and decided James was the deeper sleeper. She sat up as quietly as she could, and carefully stood on the bed. All three were still sleeping, so she carefully lifted a foot and tried stepping over James. Before she could put her foot down he rolled over and collided with the leg she was balancing on, and then her entire weight shifted.

"Oh, Merlin!"

She fell backwards and landed hard on top of Remus's stomach who woke up with a quick, "Oof!"

Then James rolled again and his entire weight was on her shins.

"Ouch, James you oaf! Get off!"

When Sirius flew up it was to the sight of Remus trapped under Hermione who was in turn trapped under a still snoozing James.

Hermione couldn't move.

She grumbled and stretched her neck so that her cheek was resting on Remus's stomach and she could look up at him.

"Will you kick him for me?"

Remus was looking at her with a slightly groggy and mystified look in his eye.

"Oi! Moony is blushing like a little girl!" Sirius was guffawing from the end of the bed which only succeeded in turning Remus into a tomato.

"Be quiet. I'm sleeping." James mumbled.

"Get off, James!" She tried.

"Sorry, can't move."

Hermione whined and closed her eyes. "My feet are falling asleep."

She tried to move them, but they were completely immobile.

"Sorry, Remus," she whispered.

"It's um…" he cleared his throat and continued, "fine! It's fine!"

Sirius started laughing again. This time Hermione blushed.

"Sirius, will you kick him for me?"

"I would love to."

Then suddenly she was freed, and James was crying from the stone floor.

"Oh thank, Merlin!" Hermione used Remus's stomach to push herself up and then jumped over him to get off the bed. She actually ran to the loo that was attached to room.

It was only when she was washing her hands in front of the mirror that she realized she was still wearing her school robes.

She took a second to look at herself.

She'd gained weight this summer that was for sure, but she still looked a few steps away from the grave. She'd gotten some of her olive skin tone back after forced time in the sun, and her hair was now longer than it had ever been. It fell to about halfway down her back and was as wild as always. She was loathe to admit it might be even bigger than usual.

When she finally stepped back into the room the boys were all sleeping again except much more sprawled.

Breakfast didn't start for another hour and a half, and she was so cold she knew she couldn't walk away. She shuffled over to Remus and poked him. He opened one eye.

"Hey. Budge over." He scooted as far as he could and held the large comforter up for her. She immediately scooted in and laid down.

She was facing him and studying his face.

He looked extremely uncomfortable.

"I have something for you." Now he just looked confused.

Over the summer Hermione had found out that Dorea had been rather talented at Potions when she was in school and even had a small potions lab in a room branching off the library. When Hermione had spent the summer at Grimmauld after her first year with Harry, Remus, and Sirius, she'd learned about brewing Wolfsbane.

The full moon was in exactly seven days.

Hermione picked her wand up from the bedside table where James must have put it and silently accioed one of the viles from her trunk. When she held it in between them he didn't move, so she reached out and grabbed his hand and wrapped his fingers around it.

"You have to take one of these every night the week before the full moon or it won't work."

Now he just looked sad.

"How did…"

"I figured it out."

Her hand was still wrapped around his when it started to shake.

She must hate him. He was a monster.

Hermione watched these thoughts cross his face and squeezed his hand.

"I've met Fenrir Greyback. Personally. He's a monster. More wolf than man," she was whispering. "You are not a monster, Remus." His eyes teared up and he couldn't look away from her. They were still laying on their sides facing each other under the giant blanket. It was a couple minutes before he said anything.

"What does it do?"

"It'll allow you to keep your mind during the full moon."

He sucked in a breath and this time a couple tears slipped down the side of his scarred cheek.

"Thank you, Hermione." He reached out and pulled her to him, so that he was almost cradling her in his arms.

They stayed like that for almost an hour before Hermione realized that she didn't want the other Gryffindors seeing three boys sneaking out of her room her first day here.

"Remus?"

"Yeah?"

"You guys should probably go, so the other Gryffindors don't get any ideas when they start waking up." He pulled away from her and sat up. The vile was still clutched tightly in his hand.

"Too true."

He gave James and Sirius both a shove and soon they were all out of her room. She sighed and started preparing for what was sure to be a long day.

And boy was she right.

After they got their schedules, and Lily Evans gave her a lecture on how important OWLS were, the boys insisted on walking her to every class like she was some helpless toddler.

Today she had History of Magic, followed by a double block of Potions, lunch, Arithmancy, and then a double block of Defense against the Dark Arts.

Arithmancy she had without the Marauders who had opted to take Divination instead.

She was surprised when at breakfast Marlene squished in between her and Sirius, and began to interrogate her on why she wasn't sleeping in the same dorm as the other fifth year girls.

"Oh, I was a little nervous to be a transfer student, so McGonagall recommended I be in my own dorm this year."

Hermione tried not to flinch when Lily narrowed her eyes from her spot a few seats down. Marlene laughed and said, "If you're an anxious person, perhaps these boys aren't the best company to keep!"

Hermione smiled absently at her and continued to eat her eggs. Marlene spent the entire rest of breakfast attempting to make conversation with Hermione who was instead very focused on her game plan for the semester.

Kill the basilisk, find the diadem, and start befriending Regulus, Snape, and Peter.

She looked up at the boy across the table from her. He was awfully skinny and very skittish. Hermione thought he looked more like a mouse than a rat. She also thought he really just needed some reassurance of his position. She wasn't one to let someone fall to the dark, and she believed with all her heart that Peter needed just as much saving as Remus, Sirius, and James.

But he's a rat!

Ronald's voice had turned into the devil sitting on her shoulder lately.

Mione, if my parents knew what happened, they would want you to save him.

And then there was Harry. Optimistic and heroic Harry.

She was going to save Peter, and that was that.

When Peter's eyes darted across the table and looked at her, she gave him a small smile. He looked surprised before he hesitantly smiled back.

A small step.

When it was time to go to class she was almost excited. Sirius, Peter, and James slept through the class, but Remus, Lily and herself took extensive notes.

Going to classes and doing her work was such a welcome reprieve.

When she walked into Potions later, the four Marauders took seats at the back next to each other. Hermione looked around and noticed she could either sit by herself, or sit at a seat next to someone she didn't know with a Slytherin green tie. She was about to sit by herself when the person looked up, and she saw a familiar hooked nose. She took a deep breath and made her way over. Everyone was sitting already and class was about to start, so everyone noticed when she took the seat next to Snape.

"Hullo," she said quietly. He gave her a mildly disgusted look out of the corner of his eye but remained silent.

Lily Evans turned around and startled at the fact that someone was sitting with her friend. She found it even more startling that that person was none other than one of James's crew, Hermione Granger. Lily narrowed her eyes and looked back at the Marauder's who all looked an odd mix of concerned and outraged.

Hermione had never been more thankful for class starting.

It turned out that Snape and her made good potions partners. They worked almost in sync, and by the end of the class they had brewed the most perfect Draught of Peace that Slughorn said he'd ever seen.

"Excellent, as always, Severus! And who might your partner be?"

"Hermione Granger, sir." Hermione smiled up at Slughorn. She'd met him once in the future, but he'd left barely any impression.

"Granger… A muggleborn?"

Hermione forced her smile to remain in place, and said quickly, "Yes. Professor."

"Very well, my girl!"

Then Slughorn went to the front of the classroom and assigned an essay on the properties of Moonstone.

When he dismissed class, Snape turned towards her and nodded once before leaving with a flourish of his dark robes. Hermione was blinking at the place he'd been standing when someone grasped her upper arm and started pulling her out of the room.

"Hey! What are you doing!"

She looked over her shoulder and saw Remus packing up her things. When she turned back around it was to a furious Sirius Black.

"What's your problem?"

Hermione was trying to pull out of his grip, but he wouldn't let go. James was standing next to him with his arms crossed across his chest. Remus was shuffling awkwardly on his other side with all her stuff in tow.

"What's my problem?" Sirius scoffed and narrowed his eyes. "What's yours, Hermione? Cozying up to Snivellus like that!" Hermione frowned. They'd been good partners, yes, but there most certainly wasn't any cozying. She feigned ignorance.

"Snivellus?"

Remus scratched at the back of his neck and said, "He's talking about, Snape."

Hermione widened her eyes comically, "Well, that's just rude, Sirius."

Sirius looked completely taken back for a moment, and that's when Lily Evans walked out of the Potions classroom and wrapped her hand around Hermione's unoccupied arm.

"I quite agree, Hermione." Lily said and glared violently at Sirius.

"He's a Slytherin and probably a Death Eater," Sirius hissed.

Hermione knew that the second part wasn't true. Not yet at least. She was almost positive that came some time after his fifth year.

"Sirius, I wouldn't make baseless accusations like that. Plus, Dorea was a Slytherin!" Said Hermione in response. She pulled her arm from his grip and looked towards the girl holding onto her elbow. "Now, I'm starved. Lily?"

Lily for the first time since they met, gave Hermione a bright smile.

"Yes, shall we?"

"We shall!"

Then they both spun on their heels and began the trek up to the Great Hall.

"Oh, Merlin! We're doomed if those two are in league!" James groaned from behind them.

It wasn't until after they were out of earshot that Lily looked nervously at Hermione.

"Severus… he's just misunderstood." Hermione gave Lily a knowing look out of the corner of her eye.

"Yes, I imagine that's true." Lily relaxed a little before an extremely upset look grew on her face.

"Those four bully him mercilessly."

Hermione frowned when she said, "I imagine that is also quite true."

Hermione remembered a story about Snape betraying Lily's trust by calling her a Mudblood later in the year. She hoped that was something she could change. She knew if there was one person she would need aid from in saving Snape it was Lily Evans.

Hermione squeezed Lily's elbow tighter and said, "Those morons are pretty susceptible to misunderstandings, but they are also pretty susceptible to compassion, surprisingly." Lily looked doubtful so Hermione added, "Don't worry, Lily. I will change their minds."

If possible, Lily looked even more doubtful.

Hermione smirked, "I can be pretty convincing."

Despite being mildly miffed, James still fulfilled his promise of walking Hermione to every class, and stalked like a silent pillar to her right the entire walk to Arithmancy before disappearing to make off to Divination.

Lily looked quite disturbed by the lack of love proclamations.

In Arithmancy, Hermione sat next to Lily, and they both took detailed notes. Hermione was mildly surprised to see Peter waiting outside the door for her for the walk to DADA.

Hermione was even more surprised when Lily and him had an excited conversation about their summers.

"Hermione, did you do anything fun over the summer?"

For some reason this was the one question that Hermione hadn't prepared an answer for.

She hesitated before saying, "It was pretty quiet actually. Did some reading."

Peter frowned. Lily looked at her sceptically. She seriously doubted that Hermione had ever had a quiet summer, but she wasn't about to question her. She'd been nice to Severus, afterall.

"Well… that can be nice too!"

Lily then gave Hermione a speech about how the DADA position was cursed and they had a new professor every year since they'd started.

The new professor introduced herself as Jean Marchbanks. She was a middle-aged woman who stated that she had been an auror before this position opened up.

"Today will be a practical lesson. Everyone stand up!"

With a wave of her wand all the desks flew to the edges of the room and they were being paired off with someone of the opposite house. The Gryffindors had this class with the Hufflepuffs. Hermione got paired with a very tall, very angry-looking guy by the name of Wilfred Clearwater.

He looked to be an entire foot taller than her, built like a brick wall, and did not go easy on her. She ignored the concerned glances of the boys and held her wand at ready.

Hermione started by quietly deflecting his spells, but then he got frustrated and started sending even stronger stunners her way. Hermione wasn't being strained in the slightest once her instincts took over and her defensive spells became silent. Professor Marchbanks yelled and told her to throw one back, and before she knew it Wilfred Clearwater was flying back into the wall behind them and sliding to the ground.

Hermione looked wide eyed at his prone form.

She hadn't wanted anyone to know about her training, and she definitely hadn't planned on harming another student. Hermione stood frozen as Professor Marchbanks walked over and assessed the passed out student.

To say Hermione was shocked when she jumped up and smiled proudly at her was an extreme understatement.

"That was very good, Miss Granger! And nonverbal too. Impressive! Twenty points to Gryffindor."

A few Gryffindors in the room whooped loudly, and Hermione finally unfroze. Marlene McKinnon threw her arms around Hermione's neck and gave her a fat smooch on the top of her head.

"My favorite swot!"

Hermione scowled and shoved her off.

"I am not a swot."

That night after dinner she told the boys she had to run to the library and waited for them to leave after walking her before promptly exiting the library and going towards Ravenclaw Tower. She had a couple more hours before curfew which wasn't exactly a problem. She had one hour, tops, before the Marauder's would inevitably make the decision that she needed rescuing and would come searching for their damsel.

Hermione snorted and walked a little faster.

Hermione tried desperately to remember the last conversation she'd had about the diadem.

It had been with Luna Lovegood in the Malfoy Manor dungeons. They had shared a cell for three days before Luna was dragged out by her hair, and Hermione never saw her again. She shook herself.

The Grey Lady. You need to speak with the Grey Lady. Rowena Ravenclaw had a Diadem.

Hermione sighed when Luna's airy voice floated through her mind.

Ron and Harry she could manage, but Luna's all-knowing comments were not something she thought she could handle.

"Right. Focus, Hermione," she said to herself.

She kept walking until she got to the corridor that some Ravenclaw she'd talked to in passing had told her that she often saw the Grey Lady floating through.

Hermione saw a translucent being floating near a moonlit window at the end of the hall. So easy. She smiled and picked up the pace, but she stopped when she saw that the ghost wasn't alone. Sitting on the window sill was someone who looked very nearly identical to Luna.

Suddenly Luna's cries as she was dragged from their shared cell were echoing through her mind.

"Luna?"

The girl looked up and smiled dreamily at Hermione.

"No, but I quite like that name."

Not Luna, Mione. Use your head.

This had to be Luna's mother. Hermione remembered Luna told her her name.

"Pandora."

The girl's smile widened, and she beckoned Hermione closer. The Grey Lady was floating away, and Hermione resigned herself to talking to her later. Perhaps an after curfew trip would be more effective. Hermione stepped closer until she was standing next to the still seated spitting image of Luna.

"You're Hermione Granger."

Hermione startled before remembering that Dumbledore had introduced her in front of all the students.

"Oh, yes that's correct."

Pandora held her hand out and said, "Pleasure!" Hermione hesitated before taking her hand. Pandora cocked her head to the side. "I make you nervous?"

She shook her head and tried to smile, "No, sorry. You just remind me of someone." Pandora seemed to find that comment especially amusing.

"I believe that is the first time someone has ever said that to me, Hermione Granger."

Hermione grimaced. She seemed slightly more grounded than Luna had been. No radish earrings. No endless stream of whimsical babble.

She had long wavy silvery blonde hair that had a few braids in it with colorful strings woven through them. She had the same big dreamy eyes though. Same delicate features. She was pretty in a woodland nymph type of way.

"I think, perhaps, we will be great friends," said Pandora pleasantly.

Hermione tried not to be surprised by this proclamation, but after the next one, she couldn't contain it.

"You're on a mission after all. And I believe you'll need me."

AN: omg pandora is so much fun to write.

I think Sirius and Hermione are both very passionate characters. I think it's unrealistic in fics to have them agreeing all the time. I imagine they'd be quite the fiery couple!

I also believe Hermione and Remus would have a very tender friendship full of soft moments. So adorable.

Let me know what you guys thought of this chapter in the reviews:)

I also take requests for stories, so keep that in mind!